My Early Learning Wiki
I would love you to take a look at my wiki. At the moment, only the teachers involved in our Early Learning course can edit and add to the wiki. I am happy to invite you as a member so that you can also add to it. Just email me!
Early Learning – a snapshot!
ECA WEB WATCH
Each month I receive Early Childhood Association of Australia’s Web Watch. It has the latest up-to-date info regarding early learning and the links to other sites are worth investigating. A list of all previous ECA Web Watch postings can be found on their site.
One article included in the Web Watch that I think is timely, relates to the importance of play. Another article discusses how play in early childhood shapes the functioning of the brain. With NAPLAN and Kinder Entry Assessment high on the agenda in many schools, we can lose sight of the important role play has in developing crucial cognitive and social skills in children. Both articles are a must read!
Ideas for Best Practice
Look no further! Check out this link on ECA website!
What do young children need to know about climate change?
Check out May’s issue of ECA Web Watch for great early learner resources on Global Warming, Sustainability and Climate Change.
Arousing children’s curiosity
Check out the latest articles on curiosity and learning and the role of play in stimulating brain development.
CULTURAL DIVERSITY
The other thing I really like about ECA Web Watch is their coverage of issues regarding diversity and difference, particularly for our ESL students. Check out their latest articles sourced from the web concerning students from culturally diverse backgrounds entering education for the first time and the challenges they face!
TODAY’S PLAY – TOMORROW’S SUCCESS
For teachers who still struggle with the notion of play as learning, here’s another article that might ease that struggle……….. todays play tomorrows success I hope to upload many other articles I have found useful concerning this topic. Just need to find some time to do it!! Meanwhile, you can check out the other articles at ECA Webwatch
Great Early Years videos
As posted on my home page, if you need to be convinced about the value of play in learning go no further than the early years video on Teacher TV! Do yourself a favour, and watch them! I have posted a few of the videos on this page – just go to the video sidebar.
Favourite online resources!
1. Early Childhood Association of Australia is a comprehensive website concerning all issues regarding the early learner. A must!
2. Queensland Early Years is another comprehensive site about the curriculum for Prep – prior to starting Year 1. Great resource!
3. Early Years: Scotland has everything! Easy to read research on learning in the early years, case studies, resources, curriculum guidelines and so on. Highly recommended. Check out Active Learning case studies!
4. Canadian Council of Early Learning is another informative site with articles, resources and links to other early years sites.
5. Early Phase of Learning Queensland – linked to Queensland Early Years site. Very useful.
6. Journal of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (US). I have found some great articles reflecting current research in this area. Well worth a browse.
7. Office for Early Childhood Australia is a relatively new site set up by the Rudd government to inform the public about new initiatives in Early Childhood. Let’s hope it lives up to the hype!
8. UK Foundation stage of learning: 0-5 years. Well worth checking out! Has useful information on active learning, problem solving, play, adult roles and more with videos to watch to demonstrate different strategies.
FUN THINGS!
Create your own jigsaw puzzles for the classroom through JigZone. great for Maths, developing language (LFTT!!!!) and developing thinking skills.
Take a look at these interesting articles…
1. See! Hear! Touch! by Mari Blaustein about what readiness looks like in the early years.
2. Much too soon by David Elkin an academic who warns of the dangers of inappropriate learning tasks.
3. What about play? by Sharna Olfman discusses the importance of play for academic learning.
4. Reggio Emilia approach to early learning: Outlines the pedagogical approach to early learning adopted by Scottish Early Years education system.\
5. Curiosity, pleasure and play. This article examines the importance of play in developing brain functions. A must read!
6. Reggio Emilia approach to teaching young children puts the natural development of children as well as the close relationships that they share with their environment at the center of its philosophy.
Dear Helen,
How delicious to have these thoughts out to get some fresh air! thanks for thinking aloud. We’re delighted that the process is becoming transparent, even if the stepping stones are still a little hidden in the mists.
What a wonderful range of questions! all too big for the available time of course (like everyone else”s! it’s the nature of the thinking cycle).
Now the task is to choose a small bit to start with- a particular aspect of the topic that is manageable for this purpose. May be a useful place to start will be to begin to think of the information you might collect as a baseline- what tells the story of what is happening now. Then you’ll have a point of reference to look back on.
hope this helps,
Alma
Thanks Alma! Glad you got a laugh. I enjoyed putting the photos up – bit of a visual learner!!!! Your thoughts are greatly appreciated. I will definitely refine the question. Using the data gathering process is a helpful starting point. Thanks again!
Hi Rampantred,
Great blog.
Food for thought!!
I went to a school today to look at the pedagogy in an early learning environment to see how the teachers managed the 100 students in an open space with four or five adults facilitating the learning. Firstly, I acknowledge their courage and risk taking in sharing their craft so openly and honestly. However, it raised the awareness for me that even though the environment may change, a change in pedagogical mindset to enable students to exercise their voice and choice requires unlimited professional development on the possibilities. With the Rudd government BER and all this money for schools I raise the question of whether teacher professional development is ever going to be factored into the equation. It is like asking an architect to actually be the builder. The difference in big picture thinking and implementing the finer details require tremendous consideration and professional discourse with like minds.
I strongly agree with you Kate. We were having that very same discussion today after listening to the inspirational Iram Siraj-Blanchford. She talked a lot about quality early learning and how do we know it is quality. The physical environment is important but it is limited if the pedagogy doesn’t drive how we construct our learning environments. Oh! my brain is bubbling!!!! So much to think about. The question about teacher PD was emphasised at today’s seminar as well. VIP!
Hi Helen,
I have really enjoyed reading your last few postings. Keep that brain of yours bubbling and when you get to Ubud it can stop. Time then for massages and pampering. I wonder if there are massages for the brain? Mmmmm . . . . .